Agitator



Apr. 24, 1923. 1,452,966

c. FIELD AGI'I ATOK Original Filed July 30. 1918 A TTOHNE Y Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

CROSBY FIELD, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, AS SIGNOR TO CHEMICAL MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AGITATOR.

Application filed July 80, 1918, Serial No. 247,366. Renewed June 28, 1921. seiial No. 481,169.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnosny FIELD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yonkers, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Agitators, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in agitators, particularly for use in the mixing or agitating of chemical compounds, and it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other such uses as may suggest themselves, such for instance as the production of heat or cold in liquids,

or as will hereinafter appear, the same may be used according to one embodiment of my invention in the oxidation of chemicals in connection with the agitation thereof. The invention therefore consists rather in the means of agitation, thanthe particular pur pose to which such agitating action is put.

An object of the invention is to provide such means, which will be simple in construction, effectual in operation, and which is peculiarly suited to the agitation of chemical compounds in liquid or semi-liquid form.

A further object is to enable the introduction of gas, steam or other fluid under pressure to the substance being mixed, for the purpose of oxidation, or performing other useful chemical work, at the same time thoroughly mixing or agitating the same, or transferring heat during the agitation.

\Vith this and other objects in view embodiments of my invention are shown in the accompanying drawings and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a mixing or agitating tank, showing an agitator formed according to one embodiment of my invention inserted therein;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the agitator moved into expanded position;

Figures 3 and 4 show two positions of a modified form of construction;

Figure 5 is a front View of a deflector vane adapted to be used with the embodi-.

ment of my invention shown in Figures 3 and 4;

Figure 6 is an end View thereof; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a form of valve adapted to be employed in connection with my invention.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, the tank 10 is filled with a liquid, semi-liquid or other suitable substance to be treated by agitation, the substance preferably extending within the tank up to the level indicated at 11.

A pipe 12 extends downwardly in the tank to within a short distance of the bottom thereof and is bent laterally as at 13 and upwardly at its end as'at 1 1, said end 14 being preferably provided with a laterally disposed outlet, directed toward the main-portion 12 of the pipe. Pressure producing means is adapted to supply gas, air, steam, liquid, vapor or other suitable media to the pipe 12 under pressure, and to the end of operating the agitating means hereinafter more fully described, the pressure pro ducing means is preferably of a construction which will enable the pressure to be intermittently relieved, or increased or decreased intermittently, that is, it may, for instance, at its highest point have a head pressure of about 10 pounds per square inch, and drop from this to about 20 pounds per square inch. These figures, it will be understood, are arbitrary and may be varied to suit the particular application of the apparatus. One form of such pressure producing means comprises a tank 15, into which the fluid, either liquid or gas, flows through an orifice of known size provided at 15 in the inlet pipe 15 at a known pressure. The exit from the tank is controlled by a safety valve 12 provided in the pipe 12 which will open up at a known pressure but will not close until the pressure has decreased to a known value below the opening pressure. As an example, suppose that steam at 100 pounds was admitted through a inch orifice into the tank 15 of about 10 gallons capacity, the safety valve set at 60 pounds would open whenever the pressure in the tank rose to that value. The escaping steam would "reduce the pressure in the tank to about 40 pounds, whereupon the safety .peated.

A flexible tubular member 16 is secured to the lateral outlet of the pipe 12, and this may be provided at its ends with suitable valves, adapted to control the pressure in the tube and the outlet of the fluid therefrom. It may, if desired, be closed, this latter arrangement being desirable when the apparatus is only employed for imparting heat or cold to the substance being treated.

Within the tubular member 16, there is provided a flat spiral spring 17 which exerts a force to normally hold the tubular membercoiled as indicated in Figure 1. As pressure is produced, or increased within the tubular member 16, the spring is forced toward a straight position, the degree of curvature from a straight line being determined by the amount of pressure. Figure 2 illustrates a. desirableexpanded position suitable for the size tank shown therein. As the pressure is relieved or reduced the spring again coils the tubular member.

The intermittent production or increase of pressure Within the tubular member, thus produces a whipping or agitating action, and by providing a number of these members side by side and extending the length of the tank a very considerable and thorough agitation of the substance within the tank is brought about. The agitators may all be connected to a single pressure pipe or separate pressure pipes may be provided, in which case it will be possible to alternately expand and contract the agitators, which action might prove desirable in certain kinds of work. Instead of providing a sprlng within the tubular member 16, the same may be inherently elastic, or a spring may be provided at the outside. Also the spiral shape of the member in its contracted position is not essential but agitation may be brought about if desired by providing a straight tube adapted to be coiled or curved, or otherwise moved into changed position by the producing of pressure within the same. Agitation is greatly improved by having a small nozzle or orifice at the moving end of the flexible tube. This small orifice may in turn, be provided with a deflector vane which would deflect the gas or liquid in the direction of the motion of the free end. A deflector vane such as shown in Figures 5 and 6, but not rotatable, would be suitable for the purpose. The effect of the air or other media passing out of the end of the agitator is to agitate the liquid and this combines with the mechanical agitation produced by the flexible tubes, to produce a thorough and eifective agitation.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the flexible tube 18 is of a type to wind itself around the pipe 12, and during this winding operation it agitates the substance contained in the tank as shown by the dotted lines (Fig. 4). The tube 18 may be so formed that it normally coils about the pipe 12 being straightened out by pressure produced therein, or it may be made to coil itself about the pipe, from a straight position such as shown in the drawings, by means of a deflector vane.

A deflector vane suitable for this purpose is shown in Figures 5 and 6 and comprises a rotatable head 19, an annular recess or groove 20 thereof, engaging a flange 21 provided at the end of the flexible tube, an outlet opening 22 being rovided in the upper side of said head, w ile at its lower slde there are provided recesses 23 and 24, diametrically opposite to each other and adapted to be engaged by a spring pressed member 25 supported upon a collar 25, to yieldingly retain the head in either one of two positions, 180 removed from each other.

Upon the head 19 and extending over the opening 22 there is provided a deflector vane 26. As the escaping fluid under pressure is ejected from the flexible tube against the vane it causes the flexible tube to be moved around the pipe 12 thereby winding itself thereon. As this encircling movement is continued the flexible tube becomes completely wound about the pipe 12 whereupon the deflector vane engages the pipe and is turned with relation to the end of the flexible tube through an angle 180, thereby reversing its action and causing the flexible tube to be unwound from the pipe 12, and when completely unwound the continued movement of the flexible tube in the same direction causes it to be again wound upon the pipe. In this form it will be seen a continuous agitation of the substance within the tank results and the pressure within the flexible tube is constant.

The flexible tube 18 may also, if desired, be provided with a spring therein, adapted to normally hold the tube in straight position and in this embodiment I preferably employ a valve such as shown for instance, in Figure 7 and which has for its purpose to coil the flexible tube about the pipe 12. In this form the flexible tube is provided at its lower end .with a valve housing 30, coupled thereto by means of a coupling ring 31. The end of the valve housing is screw threaded and is secured to a standard pipe fitting 32. A valve seat 33 is provided Within the valve housing and upon the end of the flat spring 34: there is provided a valve head 35, the spring 34 being guided by means of a pair of slotted guide lugs 36 and provided with a coil expansion spring 37 disposed between the said lugs and the head 35. The operation is as follows:

Air or other fluid under pressure acting upon the head 35 forces the same toward the valve seat 33 and causes the flexible tube 18 to coil about the pipe 12. When said valve head engages the seat 33 the supply of fluid under pressure is cut OE and the flexible tube is unwound both by expansion of the spring 37 and the tendency of the spring 34 to straighten itself. When completely unwound so that the valve is again open the process is repeated.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of my invention but it is obvious that changes may be made there-in within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims. In this connection attention is invited to my co-pending application for methods and apparatus for transferring heat, and which discloses certain forms of apparatus which might be considered a special application of the present invention, in so far as agitation is concerned.

I claim:

1. Agitating means consisting .ofa flexible tubular member, spring means carried by said tubular member, adapted to normally coil said tubular member, means for admitting pressure to said tubular member, said tubular member adapted to be moved proportionate] -as pressure is increased or diminished tli erein. I

2. Agitating means consisting of a flexible tubular member, a flat coil spring in said tubular member, adapted to normally coil said tubular member, means for admitting pressure to said tubular member, said tubular member adapted to move proportionately as pressure is increased or diminished therein.

3. Agitating means consisting of a flexibletubular member, a spring carried by said tubular member adapted to normally coil said tubular member, means for admitting pressure to said tubular member, said tubular member adapted to move proportionately as pressure is increased or diminished therein and valve means controlling the admission of pressure to said tubular member, and adapted to be controlled by said spring means.

4. Agitating means consisting of a pres sure feed pipe, 3. flexible tubular member at the end of said pipe, said flexible tubular member adapted to be wound about said pipe and unwound therefrom by means of pressure produced therein. v

5. In combination with a vessel containin a material to be treated, a normally coiled flexible member submerged in the material, and means for uncoiling said member whereby the latter is moved relative to the material and the agitation of said material eifected.

6. In combination with a vessel containing material to be treated, a flexible member submerged in the material, means acting upon said member to normally confine the same to a position within a relatively limited area in the material, and means adapted.

to act in opposition to said last named means to flex and distend said member and thereby eflect an agitating influence of said member upon the material over a relatively extensive area.

In testimony that he claims the foregoing as his inventlon, he has signed his name hereunder.

CROSBY FIELD. 

